A shopping and entertainment mecca by the sea

With a nickname like the “City of the Arts,” it's no surprise that Costa Mesa has a vibrant performing arts scene, but this sunny city also offers some of the best shopping and dining in famed Orange County. It is conveniently located between Los Angeles and San Diego, just minutes from the Pacific Ocean, in the heart of Southern California. Explore the arts this city is known for, and use it as a gateway for enjoying the region's well-known coastal gems and family fun.

The Art of Shopping

Costa Mesa stands out for its shopping destinations. Schedule an outing to South Coast Plaza, the international shopping destination that offers the highest concentration of luxury brands in the United States. Visitors can enjoy 250 retail boutiques, including the world’s top designer labels like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Christian Louboutin, Chanel and Prada.

Costa Mesa is also home to The LAB and The CAMP, two eclectic and eco-friendly shopping venues focused on local artisans and a fitness-based lifestyle. The OC MIX offers a unique collection of pop-up boutiques and specialty food shops along with cutting-edge dining experiences. The Triangle is Costa Mesa’s family entertainment complex, offering a variety of restaurants, a movie theater and a bowling alley.

The Art of Dining

Costa Mesa has earned recognition as a bona fide foodie destination with cuisine ranging from Japanese hotspots to Spanish tapas to Moroccan cuisine. With restaurants receiving accolades from the LA Times, TripAdvisor, Gayot and Food & Wine Magazine, Costa Mesa is home to Michelin-starred chef Carlos Salgado, with his innovative Mexican restaurant Taco María. Vaca is the Spanish tapas restaurant by Amar Santana, runner-up of season 13 on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef.” A branch of Din Tai Fung, a Michelin-starred Shanghai dumpling restaurant, is in Costa Mesa.

The Art of the Stage and Staying Here

Plan on visiting Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the performing arts center of Orange County, which welcomes some of the biggest names in performing arts along with Broadway musicals, concerts and dance shows. See its amazing architectural buildings and displays of outdoor public art.

Offering internationally known brands and boutique properties, Costa Mesa also has OC’s only Tribute Portfolio hotel. Whether travel to Orange County requires a 4-diamond luxury experience or a more economical stay, Costa Mesa offers a hotel for every budget. With its proximity to attractions like Disneyland® Resort and just minutes from Southern California beaches, Costa Mesa is the perfect location for a stay in Orange County.

Fun Fact

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South Coast Plaza shopping center has the highest sales of any mall in the U.S.: $1.5 billion per year.